And this is it! Thank you for all of your great feedback, I appreciate every word. I hope you enjoy this last little bit - I seriously considered including Mona for this final scene, but truly felt that it's only right for the show to end the way it began, with the friendship between these four women.
Thanks again to everyone who read along. Please let me know what you think, as always! Constructive critiques are always welcome, but comments whining about Emison are completely nonconstructive and will be deleted.
ACT EIGHT
EXT. ROSEWOOD CHURCH - DAY
We PAN OVER the exterior of Rosewood's church. Mourners dressed in black file inside. The sky is a perfect blue, with no clouds in sight - an ironically beautiful day.
INT. ROSEWOOD CHAPEL - DAY
Aria walks unsteadily down the chapel's main aisle, dressed in a simple black dress and heels. She suddenly sucks in a breath, leaning against one of the pews for support. A hand reaches out and grasps her arm.
EZRA
You okay?
Aria squeezes his hand, giving him a watery smile.
ARIA
No.
EZRA
You sure you don't want me to sit with you?
ARIA
Yeah. I - we - need to do this alone.
Ezra nods in understanding. Aria reaches up and gives him a quick peck on the cheek, then continues on down the aisle with a renewed strength. She glances back to see Ezra slide into a pew beside Toby and Caleb. From the next row up, Mona gives Aria a small wave. Aria returns the gesture.
Spencer, Hanna, and Emily are seated in the very first pew, across the aisle from a haunted-looking Jason and KENNETH DILAURENTIS. Neither of them look in her direction as Aria slides into the seat beside Hanna, who grabs her hand just as she did in this same setting, so many years before.
HANNA
Hey.
Aria glances at her friends. Emily is clutching LILY in her lap, and Spencer is bouncing GRACE lightly. Emily is not crying, despite her puffy eyes. Her face is blank. Lily babbles and plays with her stuffed cat, heartbreakingly oblivious.
ARIA
How are you doing, Em?
A beat passes as Emily stares straight forward. Aria follows her gaze. We PAN AROUND to a large portrait of Alison perched beside a sleek wooden casket. She's standing on the front porch of her house, smiling broadly at something just beyond the camera.
EMILY
Is it terrible that I wish the police hadn't gotten to the school as fast as they did?
SPENCER
Why's that?
EMILY
Because then maybe Charlotte wouldn't be alive, either.
The girls avert their eyes. No one is really sure what to say. Finally, Hanna reaches around Spencer and touches Emily's arm.
HANNA
Honestly, I'd probably feel the same way. I kind of already do.
SPENCER
Charlotte's behind bars, most likely for life. In a way, that's worse than death.
Emily nods, but doesn't look comforted by their words. Aria gives a sympathetic sigh, then twists around and glances at the people crowding into the chapel. Most are former students of Alison's and their parents, and other teachers. Even JENNA MARSHALL slides into a pew in the very back.
ARIA
Did Melissa come?
SPENCER
No. She exerted herself so much that night that she had to get a few more stitches. She's still recovering.
She hesitates, running a hand absentmindedly over Grace's now-darkening hair as she considers whether or not to continue.
SPENCER (CONT'D)
Melissa told me that she was blackmailed a few months ago. Someone anonymously threatened to release that video of her confessing to killing Bethany if she didn't cut me off.
HANNA
Why would Charlotte do that?
SPENCER
I think she was just flexing her power, trying to see if she could still get people to do what she wanted. She probably sent Melissa an invitation to the wedding, too.
ARIA
So Melissa really did buy that knife as protection?
SPENCER
She said that she showed up to the wedding because she figured it would be a good way to get in contact with me without having her own secret exposed. She got the knife for peace of mind. Not that it did her much good.
The girls go quiet as Spencer's words sink in. There's no time to continue - the pastor clears his throat and the service begins.
EXT. ROSEWOOD CHURCH - DAY
Mourners file out of the church, the service over. Pam steers a double stroller with the twins toward her car. Spencer, Aria, Emily, and Hanna stand on the sidewalk, huddled together.
HANNA
Well, this is familiar.
Her words are sullen and serious. Emily rubs at her red eyes.
EMILY
I still keep waiting to wake up. This all feels like a bad dream.
ARIA
Yeah. Like Ali's going to show up again, just like last time.
EMILY
I don't even know how to feel anymore. She betrayed us. I can't help but think that she never really loved me.
Her voice is flat, defeated. The girls are stricken.
SPENCER
Em, that is absolutely not true. Ali loved you. And she cared about all of us.
EMILY
Not as much as she cared about herself.
No one has a response. They all know that, to an extent, it's true.
ARIA
Ali might not have been loyal to us like we are to each other. But she wouldn't have done what she did that night if she didn't care.
She rubs Emily's arm comfortingly. Slightly pacified, Emily nods.
EMILY
But what about you? Can you even adopt now?
ARIA
Of course we can. It just might not be from an agency in Philly. But we'll make it work.
HANNA
I think Caleb and I are going to take a break from trying to get pregnant. Maybe I'll just be the fun aunt for a while.
Everyone - even Emily - manages to chuckle.
EMILY
Lily and Grace are going to need one.
Her friends' faces crumble with sympathy as the reality sinks in - they haven't just lost a friend. Those babies have lost one of their mothers.
SPENCER
We'll always be here for them.
Aria wraps her arm around Emily's shoulders and squeezes tightly.
ARIA
Yeah. We're not going anywhere.
Hanna tugs at her dress, grimacing.
HANNA
Except for maybe to go home and change. God, this thing is itchy.
They exchange smiles tinged with sadness. This isn't going to be an easy hurdle to get over - but all they can do is try. Aria fidgets with her hands.
ARIA
So...now what?
SPENCER
Now we keep moving forward. Together.
She holds out her arms, and Aria, Hanna, and Emily step closer. They wrap their arms around one another in a group hug as we PAN OUT over the church one last time.
THE END